Ian Rapoport: NFL In LA Will Likely Be One Team

Earlier this month, the St Louis Rams and owner Stan Kroenke had their bid approved by the league owners to move to Los Angeles into a new Inglewood facility that will reportedly be done by 2019. However, heading into the final vote, the league’s relocation committee had advised the owners to go with the joint Raiders-Chargers Carson project instead by a 5-1 vote.

In then end the Rams won the bid when the owners voted by secret ballot 30-2 to allow them to move. In addition, the league gave the Chargers the option to figure out a deal with the Rams to move to Inglewood with them with a deadline of the start of 2017.

With how the whole process unfolded, how tough was it to cover?

“It was actually really weird to report on because there was a lot of PR games being played, a lot of intentional leaking, which doesn’t happen as much as people think, but definitely happened in this case” said NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport on CBS Sports Radio’s DA Show. “The Rams just kind of quietly did their thing. They knew they had a solid product and they just had all the votes. The first vote having 20 votes, that was pretty much it. And as soon as the Chargers didn’t immediately go with them, I didn’t realize at the time but I probably should have; once they didn’t go immediately it should have been ‘oh wow they’re staying in San Diego’. Now, I think that’s probably what they’re going to end up doing.”

Interesting. The Chargers are staying in San Diego for at least the upcoming season, but isn’t that just a public relations move?

“No, because they’ve already removed themselves–now, they’ll really be the second team if they go to LA,” said Rapoport. “Now, they’ll really be like the Clippers. Or the Angels. That’s fine, you can make a good living as the Clippers, but it’s not the Lakers.”

If the Chargers decline to move to Inglewood with the Rams, that would give the Raiders an opportunity to join them. Owner Mark Davis would jump at that chance right?

“I don’t think the NFL wants the Raiders in LA. I think the NFL wants them in Oakland,” said Rapoport. “I think the Raiders want to be in Oakland. The mayor seems to be headed in the right direction, the city seems to finally get it, they’re behind–way behind, but I think they’re really going to try and make it work in Oakland for the Raiders.”